Dick Button
Encyclopedia
Richard Totten "Dick" Button (born July 18, 1929) is an American former figure skater
and a well-known long-time skating television
analyst. He is a two-time Olympic Champion
(1948, 1952) and five-time World Champion
(1948–1952). He is also the only non-European man to have become European Champion
.
Button is credited as having been the first skater to successfully land the double axel
jump in competition in 1948, as well as the first triple jump of any kind – a triple loop
– in 1952. He also invented the flying camel spin
, which was originally known as the "Button camel".
. He began skating at a young age. He did not begin training seriously until the age of 12 after his father overheard him being told he would never be a good skater. Soon after, Button's father sent him to New York to take lessons from ice dancing coach Joe Carroll. He trained over the summer in Lake Placid, New York
, eventually switching on Carroll's recommendation to coach Gustave Lussi
, who coached Button for the rest of his career.
In his first competition, the 1943 Eastern States Novice Championship, he placed second behind Jean-Pierre Brunet. In 1944, he won the Eastern States Junior title which earned him the opportunity to compete at the National Novice Championships. He won the event. In 1945, his third year of serious skating, he won the Eastern States Senior title and the national Junior title. At this time, he was also skating pairs
, and competed with Barbara Jones
in Junior Pairs at the 1946 Eastern States Championships. They performed Button's singles program side by side with minor modifications and won. This competition, where Button also competed as a single skater, led into the 1946 United States Figure Skating Championships
.
Button won the 1946 U.S. Championships at age 16, winning by a unanimous vote. According to Button, this was the first time anyone had won the men's novice, junior, and senior titles in three consecutive years. This win earned Button a spot to the 1947 World Figure Skating Championships
.
At the 1947 World Championships, Button was second behind rival Hans Gerschwiler
following the compulsory figures
part of the competition, with 34.9 points separating them. Button won the free skating
portion, but Gerschwiler had the majority of first places from the judges, three to Button's two. Button won the silver medal at his first Worlds. It was the last time he placed lower than first in competition.
At the competition, Button was befriended by Ulrich Salchow
. Salchow, who was disappointed when Button did not win, presented him with the first International Cup Salchow had won in 1901. Button later passed on this trophy to John Misha Petkevich
following the 1972 Olympics
and World Championships
.
Button faced Gerschwiler again at the 1948 European Figure Skating Championships
. Button led after figures in points, having 749 points to Gerschwiler's 747.8, but Gerschwiler led in placings, with 14 to Button's 15. During the free skate, Button performed his Olympic program for the first time. He won, with 11 placings to Gerschwiler's 18. Following this year, when North Americans took home the men's and ladies' titles, non-Europeans were no longer allowed to enter into the European Championships. Button is the only American to have won the European Championships.
At the 1948 Winter Olympics
, Button led Gerschwiler by a 29.6 point lead following the figures portion of the competition, having won four of the five figures. Button had been attempting the double axel jump
in practice but had never landed it. In practice on the day before the free skating event, Button landed one in practice for the first time. He decided to put it into his free skate for the next day. Button landed it in competition, becoming the first skater in the world to do so. Button received eight firsts and two seconds, for a total of 10 places. Gerschwiler had 23. That combined with the figures results gave Button the gold medal. He became, and remains, the youngest man to win the Olympic gold in figure skating. Button went on to the 1948 World Championships
, where he faced Gerschwiler for the last time. Button won the event. At the time, the U.S. Championships were held after the World Championships, and Button finished his season by defending his national title.
In February 1948, Button, his coach, and his mother were in Prague
to perform an exhibition. They were stranded there after the Communist
uprising and had to be extracted by the U.S. Army
.
In 1949, Button won the Sullivan Award
as the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. He is one of 2 male figure skaters to win this award. Evan Lysacek being the other.
Button had intended to attend Yale University
beginning in the fall of 1947, but deferred a year due to the Olympics. Although he had originally been assured that his skating would not be a problem as long as his grades were good, he was later informed that he could not continue competing if he wanted to attend Yale. On advice from people from the Skating Club of Boston
, Button applied to, and was accepted at, Harvard University
. Button was a full-time student at Harvard while skating competitively and graduated in 1952.
Button won every competition he entered for the rest of his competitive career. He trained at the Skating Club of Boston
while attending Harvard, commuting to Lake Placid during breaks.
As reigning and defending champion, as well as being the first skater to perform a double axel and a flying camel, Button was under pressure to perform a new jump or spin every season. In 1949, he performed a double loop-double loop combination. In 1950, he performed the double loop-double loop-double loop. In 1951, he performed a double axel
-double loop combination and a double axel
-double axel
sequence. For the 1952 Winter Olympics
, Button and Lussi began working on a triple jump. They settled on training the triple loop. Button landed it for the first time in practice in December 1951 at the Skating Club of Boston, and for the first time in exhibition in Vienna
following the European Championships.
At the 1952 Winter Olympics
, Button had the lead after figures, with 9 first places, over Helmut Seibt
. Button's point total was 1,000.2 to Seibt's 957.7. During his free skate, Button successfully landed the triple loop, becoming the first person to complete a triple jump in competition. He then went on to defend his titles at the 1952 World Figure Skating Championships
and U.S. Championships.
in the fall of 1952. Because of the time commitments, Button retired from amateur skating that year in order to focus on law school. Following his retirement, Button signed on to skate with the Ice Capades
during his law school vacations.
After his competitive skating career ended, Button toured with Ice Capades
and Holiday on Ice
, and completed a Bachelor of Laws
(LL.B.) degree at Harvard Law School
. After graduation, he was admitted to the bar
in Washington, D.C.
. He co-produced "Dick Button's Ice-Travaganza" for the 1964 New York World's Fair
, starring 1963 World Champion Donald McPherson, but the ice show lost money and closed after a few months.
As an actor, Button has performed in movie roles such as "The Young Doctors
" starring Fredrich March, to "The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
" starring Tony Curtis. And, in television roles on The Hallmark Hall of Fame's "Hans Brinker]]" co-starring Tab Hunter, as well as "Dancing is a Man's Game" dancing alongside star Gene Kelly and famed New York City Ballet star Edward Villella, and appeared in "Mr. Broadway
" starring Mickey Rooney. Other television appearances include "Beverly Hills 90210" and Stephen Spielberg's "The Animaniacs", "Omnibus", "Art Linkletter's House Party
", numerous appearances on the Hallmark Hall of Fame, "Christmas at Rockefeller Center" with Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence; among his other numerous guest star television appearances. On the stage, Button has starred in the touring productions of Irving Berlin's "Call Me Madam
", Leonard Bernstein's"On the Town", The Gershwins' "Girl Crazy
", Rodgers and Hart's "Pal Joey
" , "The Teahouse of the August Moon
", "Tall Story
", and "Picnic
" as well as in the New York City Center revivals of "Mister Roberts
" and "South Pacific
" to name a few. Button also studied acting with the famed Sandy Meisner at his school in New York City.
Button provided commentary for CBS's broadcast of the 1960 Winter Olympics
, launching a decades-long career in television broadcast journalism. Button again did commentary for CBS's broadcast of the 1961 United States Figure Skating Championships
. Then, beginning in 1962, he worked as a figure skating analyst for ABC Sports
, which had acquired the rights to the U.S. Championships
as well as the 1962 World Figure Skating Championships
. During ABC's coverage of figure skating events in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Button became the sport's best-known analyst, well-known for his frank and often caustic appraisal of skaters' performances. He won an Emmy Award
in 1981 for Outstanding Sports Personality – Analyst. Although other U.S. television networks aired the Winter Olympics from the 1990s onward, Button still appeared on ABC's broadcasts of the U.S.
and World Figure Skating Championships
until ABC removed them from its broadcast schedule in 2008. Button's reputation and influence in the sport of figure skating therefore long outlasted his own competitive and performing career.
During the 2006 Games
, Button appeared on loan from ABC to once again provide commentary on the Olympics. Also during the 2006 Winter Olympics
, USA Network
ran a show called Olympic Ice
. A recurring segment, called "Push Dick's Button," invited viewers to send in questions which Button answered on the air. The segment proved very popular so ABC and ESPN put it into various broadcasts, most notably the 2007 Skate America
, the 2007 United States Figure Skating Championships
, and the 2007 World Figure Skating Championships
.
In the fall of 2010 Button was lead Judge on the popular ABC show "Skating with the Stars
" produced by BBC Worldwide, producers of the hit show "Dancing with the Stars
". In 2009, Button served as a judge on the CBC's Battle of the Blades
reality show. He again appeared on NBC to do commentary for 2010 Games
.
As founder of Candid Productions, he created a variety of made-for-television sports events, including the "World Professional Figure Skating Championships
", "Challenge of Champions
", Dorothy Hamill
specials for HBO, and other non-skating sporting events like Superstars
."Super Teams", "Junior Superstars", "Women's Superstars", and the popular "Battle of the Network Stars
"
Button was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
in 1976, the same year it was founded.
, but they later divorced.
Button has two children, Edward and Emily.
Button suffered a serious head injury on July 5, 1978 when he was one of several men assault
ed in Central Park
by a gang of youths armed with baseball bats. According to articles on different days in the New York Times
, Button was variously reported to have been passing through the park while jogging on his way to an appointment with a cabinetmaker; when he was attacked . Three persons were subsequently convicted of assault
for the attacks. Contemporary news accounts and trial testimony indicated that the assailants were intending to target gay
people, but there was no indication that any of the victims were targeted specifically. News accounts stated the attackers targeted persons in the Central Park
Ramble area as that was an area where gay
persons congregated, but that the victims were attacked at random, and that because of the random nature of the attacks ". . . the police said there was no reason to believe the victims were homosexual."
On December 31, 2000, Button was skating at a public rink in New York State when he fell, fracturing his skull and causing a serious brain injury. He has since recovered, and now is a national spokesman for the Brain Injury Association of America as well as continuing his Award winning commentary for the broadcasts of The Olympic Games, and various figure skating television shows.
Figure skating
Figure skating is an Olympic sport in which individuals, pairs, or groups perform spins, jumps, footwork and other intricate and challenging moves on ice skates. Figure skaters compete at various levels from beginner up to the Olympic level , and at local, national, and international competitions...
and a well-known long-time skating television
Television
Television is a telecommunication medium for transmitting and receiving moving images that can be monochrome or colored, with accompanying sound...
analyst. He is a two-time Olympic Champion
Figure skating at the Olympic Games
Figure skating has been contested in the Olympic Games since the 1908 Summer Olympics. In 1908 and 1920, the figure skating competitions were held in conjunction with the Games of the Olympiad...
(1948, 1952) and five-time World Champion
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
(1948–1952). He is also the only non-European man to have become European Champion
European Figure Skating Championships
The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion...
.
Button is credited as having been the first skater to successfully land the double axel
Axel jump
The Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take-off. It is named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air due to its forward take-off...
jump in competition in 1948, as well as the first triple jump of any kind – a triple loop
Loop jump
The Loop jump is a figure skating jump that takes off from a back outside edge and lands on the same backwards outside edge. For a jump with counterclockwise rotation, this is the right back outside edge. It is named from its similarity to the loop compulsory figure. The invention is widely...
– in 1952. He also invented the flying camel spin
Camel spin
A camel spin, also known in Europe as a parallel spin, is one of the three basic figure skating spins, along with the sit spin and upright spin...
, which was originally known as the "Button camel".
Amateur career
Dick Button was born and raised in Englewood, New JerseyEnglewood, New Jersey
Englewood is a city located in Bergen County, New Jersey. As of the 2010 United States Census, the city had a total population of 27,147.Englewood was incorporated as a city by an Act of the New Jersey Legislature on March 17, 1899, from portions of Ridgefield Township and the remaining portions of...
. He began skating at a young age. He did not begin training seriously until the age of 12 after his father overheard him being told he would never be a good skater. Soon after, Button's father sent him to New York to take lessons from ice dancing coach Joe Carroll. He trained over the summer in Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid, New York
Lake Placid is a village in the Adirondack Mountains in Essex County, New York, United States. As of the 2000 census, the village had a population of 2,638....
, eventually switching on Carroll's recommendation to coach Gustave Lussi
Gustave Lussi
Gustave François Lussi was a figure skating coach. His students include many champions, such as Dick Button, Donald Jackson, Ronald Robertson, Ronald Ludington, Barbara Ann Scott, David Jenkins, Hayes Jenkins, Dorothy Hamill , John Misha Petkevich, and John Curry.-Biography:Lussi was born in...
, who coached Button for the rest of his career.
In his first competition, the 1943 Eastern States Novice Championship, he placed second behind Jean-Pierre Brunet. In 1944, he won the Eastern States Junior title which earned him the opportunity to compete at the National Novice Championships. He won the event. In 1945, his third year of serious skating, he won the Eastern States Senior title and the national Junior title. At this time, he was also skating pairs
Pair skating
Pair skating is a figure skating discipline. International Skating Union regulations describe pair teams as consisting of "one lady and one man." The sport is distinguished from ice dancing and single skating by elements unique to pair skating, including overhead lifts, twist lifts, death spirals,...
, and competed with Barbara Jones
Barbara Jones
Barbara Pearl Jones is a retired American athlete, who competed in the 1952 Summer Olympics and in the 1960 Summer Olympics.She lives in the Atlanta, Georgia area....
in Junior Pairs at the 1946 Eastern States Championships. They performed Button's singles program side by side with minor modifications and won. This competition, where Button also competed as a single skater, led into the 1946 United States Figure Skating Championships
United States Figure Skating Championships
The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
.
Button won the 1946 U.S. Championships at age 16, winning by a unanimous vote. According to Button, this was the first time anyone had won the men's novice, junior, and senior titles in three consecutive years. This win earned Button a spot to the 1947 World Figure Skating Championships
1947 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
.
At the 1947 World Championships, Button was second behind rival Hans Gerschwiler
Hans Gerschwiler
Hans Gerschwiler was a Swiss figure skater.-Biography:Born in Switzerland, Gerschwiler made his international debut at the 1939 European Figure Skating Championships, where he placed 5th. Between 1939 and 1947, no international skating competitions were held, due to World War II...
following the compulsory figures
Compulsory figures
Compulsory figures or school figures were formerly an aspect of the sport of figure skating, from which the sport derives its name. Carving specific patterns or figures into the ice was the original focus of the sport. The patterns of compulsory figures all derive from the basic figure eight...
part of the competition, with 34.9 points separating them. Button won the free skating
Free skating
The free skating competition of figure skating, sometimes called the "free skate" or "long program", is usually the second of two phases in major figure skating competitions in single skating and pair skating. It is the longer of the two programs, the other one being the Short Program...
portion, but Gerschwiler had the majority of first places from the judges, three to Button's two. Button won the silver medal at his first Worlds. It was the last time he placed lower than first in competition.
At the competition, Button was befriended by Ulrich Salchow
Ulrich Salchow
Karl Emil Julius Ulrich Salchow was a Swedish figure skater, who dominated the sport in the first decade of the 20th century....
. Salchow, who was disappointed when Button did not win, presented him with the first International Cup Salchow had won in 1901. Button later passed on this trophy to John Misha Petkevich
John Misha Petkevich
John Misha Petkevich is an American former figure skater. He won the 1971 United States Figure Skating Championships in men's singles and the North American Figure Skating Championship in the same year. He placed 6th at the 1968 Winter Olympics and 5th at the 1972 Winter Olympics...
following the 1972 Olympics
1972 Winter Olympics
The 1972 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XI Olympic Winter Games, were a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated from February 3 to February 13, 1972 in Sapporo, Hokkaidō, Japan...
and World Championships
1972 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
.
Button faced Gerschwiler again at the 1948 European Figure Skating Championships
1948 European Figure Skating Championships
The 1948 European Figure Skating Championships were the European Figure Skating Championships of the 1947-1948 season. Elite senior-level figure skaters from European ISU Member Nations, in addition to the United States and Canada, competed for the title of European Champion...
. Button led after figures in points, having 749 points to Gerschwiler's 747.8, but Gerschwiler led in placings, with 14 to Button's 15. During the free skate, Button performed his Olympic program for the first time. He won, with 11 placings to Gerschwiler's 18. Following this year, when North Americans took home the men's and ladies' titles, non-Europeans were no longer allowed to enter into the European Championships. Button is the only American to have won the European Championships.
At the 1948 Winter Olympics
1948 Winter Olympics
The 1948 Winter Olympics, officially known as the V Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event celebrated in 1948 in St. Moritz, Switzerland. The Games were the first to be celebrated after World War II; it had been twelve years since the last Winter Games in 1936...
, Button led Gerschwiler by a 29.6 point lead following the figures portion of the competition, having won four of the five figures. Button had been attempting the double axel jump
Axel jump
The Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take-off. It is named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air due to its forward take-off...
in practice but had never landed it. In practice on the day before the free skating event, Button landed one in practice for the first time. He decided to put it into his free skate for the next day. Button landed it in competition, becoming the first skater in the world to do so. Button received eight firsts and two seconds, for a total of 10 places. Gerschwiler had 23. That combined with the figures results gave Button the gold medal. He became, and remains, the youngest man to win the Olympic gold in figure skating. Button went on to the 1948 World Championships
1948 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
, where he faced Gerschwiler for the last time. Button won the event. At the time, the U.S. Championships were held after the World Championships, and Button finished his season by defending his national title.
In February 1948, Button, his coach, and his mother were in Prague
Prague
Prague is the capital and largest city of the Czech Republic. Situated in the north-west of the country on the Vltava river, the city is home to about 1.3 million people, while its metropolitan area is estimated to have a population of over 2.3 million...
to perform an exhibition. They were stranded there after the Communist
Communism
Communism is a social, political and economic ideology that aims at the establishment of a classless, moneyless, revolutionary and stateless socialist society structured upon common ownership of the means of production...
uprising and had to be extracted by the U.S. Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
.
In 1949, Button won the Sullivan Award
James E. Sullivan Award
The James E. Sullivan Award, presented by the American Amateur Athletic Union , is awarded annually in April to "the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States". Often referred to as the Oscar of sports awards, it was first presented in 1930. The award is named for the AAU's founder and past...
as the outstanding amateur athlete in the United States. He is one of 2 male figure skaters to win this award. Evan Lysacek being the other.
Button had intended to attend Yale University
Yale University
Yale University is a private, Ivy League university located in New Haven, Connecticut, United States. Founded in 1701 in the Colony of Connecticut, the university is the third-oldest institution of higher education in the United States...
beginning in the fall of 1947, but deferred a year due to the Olympics. Although he had originally been assured that his skating would not be a problem as long as his grades were good, he was later informed that he could not continue competing if he wanted to attend Yale. On advice from people from the Skating Club of Boston
Skating Club of Boston
The Skating Club of Boston is a figure skating club based in Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1912, it is one of the oldest skating clubs in the United States, predating the formation of U.S. Figure Skating. The club owns its own rink in Brighton, Massachusetts, built in 1938.-Club activities:An...
, Button applied to, and was accepted at, Harvard University
Harvard University
Harvard University is a private Ivy League university located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, United States, established in 1636 by the Massachusetts legislature. Harvard is the oldest institution of higher learning in the United States and the first corporation chartered in the country...
. Button was a full-time student at Harvard while skating competitively and graduated in 1952.
Button won every competition he entered for the rest of his competitive career. He trained at the Skating Club of Boston
Skating Club of Boston
The Skating Club of Boston is a figure skating club based in Boston, Massachusetts. Formed in 1912, it is one of the oldest skating clubs in the United States, predating the formation of U.S. Figure Skating. The club owns its own rink in Brighton, Massachusetts, built in 1938.-Club activities:An...
while attending Harvard, commuting to Lake Placid during breaks.
As reigning and defending champion, as well as being the first skater to perform a double axel and a flying camel, Button was under pressure to perform a new jump or spin every season. In 1949, he performed a double loop-double loop combination. In 1950, he performed the double loop-double loop-double loop. In 1951, he performed a double axel
Axel jump
The Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take-off. It is named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air due to its forward take-off...
-double loop combination and a double axel
Axel jump
The Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take-off. It is named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air due to its forward take-off...
-double axel
Axel jump
The Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take-off. It is named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air due to its forward take-off...
sequence. For the 1952 Winter Olympics
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
, Button and Lussi began working on a triple jump. They settled on training the triple loop. Button landed it for the first time in practice in December 1951 at the Skating Club of Boston, and for the first time in exhibition in Vienna
Vienna
Vienna is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Austria and one of the nine states of Austria. Vienna is Austria's primary city, with a population of about 1.723 million , and is by far the largest city in Austria, as well as its cultural, economic, and political centre...
following the European Championships.
At the 1952 Winter Olympics
1952 Winter Olympics
The 1952 Winter Olympics, officially known as the VI Olympic Winter Games, took place in Oslo, Norway, from 14 to 25 February 1952. Discussions about Oslo hosting the Winter Olympic Games began as early as 1935; the city wanted to host the 1948 Games, but World War II made that impossible...
, Button had the lead after figures, with 9 first places, over Helmut Seibt
Helmut Seibt
Helmut Seibt was an Austrian figure skater. He won the silver medal at the 1952 Winter Olympics. He was the 1951–1952 European Champion. He placed 9th at the 1948 Winter Olympics and won a bronze medal at the 1951 World Figure Skating Championships...
. Button's point total was 1,000.2 to Seibt's 957.7. During his free skate, Button successfully landed the triple loop, becoming the first person to complete a triple jump in competition. He then went on to defend his titles at the 1952 World Figure Skating Championships
1952 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
and U.S. Championships.
Professional career
Button decided to enter Harvard Law SchoolHarvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
in the fall of 1952. Because of the time commitments, Button retired from amateur skating that year in order to focus on law school. Following his retirement, Button signed on to skate with the Ice Capades
Ice Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
during his law school vacations.
After his competitive skating career ended, Button toured with Ice Capades
Ice Capades
The Ice Capades was a traveling entertainment show featuring theatrical performances involving ice skating. Shows often featured former Olympicand National Champion figure skaters who had retired from amateur competition....
and Holiday on Ice
Holiday on Ice
Holiday on Ice is an ice show currently produced by Joop van den Ende's Stage Entertainment Group with its headquarters in Amsterdam, Netherlands...
, and completed a Bachelor of Laws
Bachelor of Laws
The Bachelor of Laws is an undergraduate, or bachelor, degree in law originating in England and offered in most common law countries as the primary law degree...
(LL.B.) degree at Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School
Harvard Law School is one of the professional graduate schools of Harvard University. Located in Cambridge, Massachusetts, it is the oldest continually-operating law school in the United States and is home to the largest academic law library in the world. The school is routinely ranked by the U.S...
. After graduation, he was admitted to the bar
Bar association
A bar association is a professional body of lawyers. Some bar associations are responsible for the regulation of the legal profession in their jurisdiction; others are professional organizations dedicated to serving their members; in many cases, they are both...
in Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C.
Washington, D.C., formally the District of Columbia and commonly referred to as Washington, "the District", or simply D.C., is the capital of the United States. On July 16, 1790, the United States Congress approved the creation of a permanent national capital as permitted by the U.S. Constitution....
. He co-produced "Dick Button's Ice-Travaganza" for the 1964 New York World's Fair
1964 New York World's Fair
The 1964/1965 New York World's Fair was the third major world's fair to be held in New York City. Hailing itself as a "universal and international" exposition, the fair's theme was "Peace Through Understanding," dedicated to "Man's Achievement on a Shrinking Globe in an Expanding Universe";...
, starring 1963 World Champion Donald McPherson, but the ice show lost money and closed after a few months.
As an actor, Button has performed in movie roles such as "The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors
The Young Doctors is an Australian early evening soap opera. The series was set in the fictional Albert Memorial hospital and primarily concerned with romances between younger members of the hospital staff, screened on the Nine Network from Monday, 8 November 1976 until Wednesday, 30 March...
" starring Fredrich March, to "The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan
The Bad News Bears Go to Japan is a 1978 film release by Paramount Pictures and was the sequel to The Bad News Bears and the sequel to The Bad News Bears in Breaking Training. It stars Tony Curtis, Jackie Earle Haley, and Regis Philbin...
" starring Tony Curtis. And, in television roles on The Hallmark Hall of Fame's "Hans Brinker]]" co-starring Tab Hunter, as well as "Dancing is a Man's Game" dancing alongside star Gene Kelly and famed New York City Ballet star Edward Villella, and appeared in "Mr. Broadway
Mr. Broadway
Mr. Broadway is a 13-episode CBS adventure and drama television series starring Craig Stevens , formerly of Peter Gunn, as New York City public relations specialist Mike Bell. The program aired at 9 p.m. Eastern time Saturdays from September 26 to December 26, 1964...
" starring Mickey Rooney. Other television appearances include "Beverly Hills 90210" and Stephen Spielberg's "The Animaniacs", "Omnibus", "Art Linkletter's House Party
Art Linkletter's House Party
House Party is an American radio daytime variety/talk show that aired on CBS Radio and on ABC Radio from January 15, 1945 to October 13, 1967...
", numerous appearances on the Hallmark Hall of Fame, "Christmas at Rockefeller Center" with Robert Goulet and Carol Lawrence; among his other numerous guest star television appearances. On the stage, Button has starred in the touring productions of Irving Berlin's "Call Me Madam
Call Me Madam
Call Me Madam is a musical with a book by Howard Lindsay and Russel Crouse and music and lyrics by Irving Berlin.A satire on politics and foreign affairs that spoofs America's penchant for lending billions of dollars to needy countries, it centers on Sally Adams, a well-meaning but ill-informed...
", Leonard Bernstein's"On the Town", The Gershwins' "Girl Crazy
Girl Crazy
Girl Crazy is a 1930 musical with music by George Gershwin, lyrics by Ira Gershwin and book by Guy Bolton and John McGowan. Ethel Merman made her stage debut in this musical production....
", Rodgers and Hart's "Pal Joey
Pal Joey
Pal Joey is a 1940 epistolary novel by John O'Hara, which became the basis of the 1940 stage musical comedy and 1957 motion picture of the same name, with music by Richard Rodgers and lyrics by Lorenz Hart....
" , "The Teahouse of the August Moon
The Teahouse of the August Moon (play)
The Teahouse of the August Moon is a 1953 play written by John Patrick adapted from the 1951 novel by Vern Sneider. It was later adapted for film in 1956, and the 1970 Broadway musical, Lovely Ladies, Kind Gentlemen.-Plot summary:...
", "Tall Story
Tall Story
Tall Story is a 1960 American sports comedy film directed by Joshua Logan and starring Anthony Perkins and Jane Fonda. Future star Robert Redford made his big-screen debut as a basketball player....
", and "Picnic
Picnic
In contemporary usage, a picnic can be defined simply as a pleasure excursion at which a meal is eaten outdoors , ideally taking place in a beautiful landscape such as a park, beside a lake or with an interesting view and possibly at a public event such as before an open air theatre performance,...
" as well as in the New York City Center revivals of "Mister Roberts
Mister Roberts (play)
Mister Roberts is a 1948 play based on the 1946 Thomas Heggen novel of the same name.The novel began as a collection of short stories about Heggen's experiences aboard the USS Virgo in the South Pacific during World War II...
" and "South Pacific
South Pacific (musical)
South Pacific is a musical with music by Richard Rodgers, lyrics by Oscar Hammerstein II and book by Hammerstein and Joshua Logan. The story draws from James A. Michener's Pulitzer Prize-winning 1947 book Tales of the South Pacific, weaving together characters and elements from several of its...
" to name a few. Button also studied acting with the famed Sandy Meisner at his school in New York City.
Button provided commentary for CBS's broadcast of the 1960 Winter Olympics
Figure skating at the 1960 Winter Olympics
The figure skating 1960 Winter Olympics results in Squaw Valley, California, United States.-Men's Singles:-Ladies Singles:-Pairs:-Medal table:-Men:Referee:* Rudolf MarxAssistant Referee:* Harold G. Storke...
, launching a decades-long career in television broadcast journalism. Button again did commentary for CBS's broadcast of the 1961 United States Figure Skating Championships
1961 United States Figure Skating Championships
The 1961 United States Figure Skating Championships were held at the World Arena in Colorado Springs, Colorado, from January 25 to January 29, 1961. The competition was dedicated to the memory of Howard D...
. Then, beginning in 1962, he worked as a figure skating analyst for ABC Sports
American Broadcasting Company
The American Broadcasting Company is an American commercial broadcasting television network. Created in 1943 from the former NBC Blue radio network, ABC is owned by The Walt Disney Company and is part of Disney-ABC Television Group. Its first broadcast on television was in 1948...
, which had acquired the rights to the U.S. Championships
United States Figure Skating Championships
The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
as well as the 1962 World Figure Skating Championships
1962 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion....
. During ABC's coverage of figure skating events in the 1960s, 1970s and 1980s, Button became the sport's best-known analyst, well-known for his frank and often caustic appraisal of skaters' performances. He won an Emmy Award
Emmy Award
An Emmy Award, often referred to simply as the Emmy, is a television production award, similar in nature to the Peabody Awards but more focused on entertainment, and is considered the television equivalent to the Academy Awards and the Grammy Awards .A majority of Emmys are presented in various...
in 1981 for Outstanding Sports Personality – Analyst. Although other U.S. television networks aired the Winter Olympics from the 1990s onward, Button still appeared on ABC's broadcasts of the U.S.
United States Figure Skating Championships
The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
and World Figure Skating Championships
World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
until ABC removed them from its broadcast schedule in 2008. Button's reputation and influence in the sport of figure skating therefore long outlasted his own competitive and performing career.
Figure skating at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Four figure skating events were held at the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, at the Palavela venue.Lithuanian ice dancers Margarita Drobiazko and Povilas Vanagas became the first figure skaters to compete at five Olympics....
, Button appeared on loan from ABC to once again provide commentary on the Olympics. Also during the 2006 Winter Olympics
2006 Winter Olympics
The 2006 Winter Olympics, officially known as the XX Olympic Winter Games, was a winter multi-sport event which was celebrated in Turin, Italy from February 10, 2006, through February 26, 2006. This marked the second time Italy hosted the Olympic Winter Games, the first being the VII Olympic Winter...
, USA Network
USA Network
USA Network is an American cable television channel launched in 1971. Once a minor player in basic cable, the network has steadily gained popularity because of breakout hits like Monk, Psych, Burn Notice, Royal Pains, Covert Affairs, White Collar, Monday Night RAW, Suits, and reruns of the various...
ran a show called Olympic Ice
Olympic Ice
Olympic Ice was a daily television program that was broadcast at 6 p.m. ET on the USA Network during the 2006 Winter Olympics in Turin, Italy...
. A recurring segment, called "Push Dick's Button," invited viewers to send in questions which Button answered on the air. The segment proved very popular so ABC and ESPN put it into various broadcasts, most notably the 2007 Skate America
2007 Skate America
Skate America is an international, senior-level invitation-only figure skating competition organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. It is the first ISU Grand Prix event to be held...
, the 2007 United States Figure Skating Championships
2007 United States Figure Skating Championships
The U.S. Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition organized by the United States Figure Skating Association. In addition to determining the national champions, the event is used to determine the U.S. teams for the World Figure Skating Championships, World Junior Figure...
, and the 2007 World Figure Skating Championships
2007 World Figure Skating Championships
The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion. This event is considered the most prestigious of the ISU Championships. Skaters compete in the...
.
In the fall of 2010 Button was lead Judge on the popular ABC show "Skating with the Stars
Skating with the Stars
Skating with the Stars is an American reality TV show. The show features celebrities paired with professionals from the world of figure skating. The show is based on the British show, Dancing on Ice. The show has a schedule similar to the first season of Dancing with the Stars with performance...
" produced by BBC Worldwide, producers of the hit show "Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars
Dancing with the Stars is the name of several international television series based on the format of the British TV series Strictly Come Dancing, which is distributed by BBC Worldwide – the commercial arm of the BBC. Currently the format has been licensed to over 35 countries...
". In 2009, Button served as a judge on the CBC's Battle of the Blades
Battle of the Blades
Battle of the Blades is a Canadian figure skating reality show and competition that airs on CBC Television. It was first broadcast before a live audience at the historic Maple Leaf Gardens. With Maple Leaf Gardens under renovation however, the show was filmed at Pinewood Toronto Studios in season two...
reality show. He again appeared on NBC to do commentary for 2010 Games
Figure skating at the 2010 Winter Olympics
The figure skating competition of the 2010 Winter Olympics was held at Pacific Coliseum between February 14 and 27, 2010. It was the 23rd edition of the figure skating event at the Olympics, and the 21st edition at the Winter Olympics....
.
As founder of Candid Productions, he created a variety of made-for-television sports events, including the "World Professional Figure Skating Championships
World Professional Figure Skating Championships
The World Professional Figure Skating Championships, often referred to as Landover, was an elite made-for-TV figure skating competition. It was created by Dick Button, a 2-time Olympic gold medalist, through his production company Candid Productions. It usually took place in December...
", "Challenge of Champions
Challenge of Champions
This used to be one of the richest prize money tennis events in the world. It was usually held before the Masters and featured the top mens players in the world according to their ranking on the ATP pole...
", Dorothy Hamill
Dorothy Hamill
Dorothy Stuart Hamill is an American figure skater. She is the 1976 Olympic champion in Ladies' Singles and 1976 World Champion.-Early life:...
specials for HBO, and other non-skating sporting events like Superstars
Superstars
Superstars is an all-around sports competition that pits elite athletes from different sports against one another in a series of athletic events resembling a decathlon....
."Super Teams", "Junior Superstars", "Women's Superstars", and the popular "Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars
Battle of the Network Stars is the name of 19 US television specials featuring competitions among teams of popular television performers representing the three major broadcast networks at that time: ABC, CBS, and NBC.- History :...
"
Button was inducted into the World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
World Figure Skating Hall of Fame
The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame serves as a repository for the sport of figure skating. The World Figure Skating Hall of Fame is where the greatest names in the history of the sport are honored...
in 1976, the same year it was founded.
Personal life
In 1975, Button married figure skating coach Slavka KohoutSlavka Kohout
Slavka Kohout is an American figure skating coach, best known for coaching 5-time U.S. Champion Janet Lynn throughout her entire competitive career.- Career :...
, but they later divorced.
Button has two children, Edward and Emily.
Button suffered a serious head injury on July 5, 1978 when he was one of several men assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
ed in Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
by a gang of youths armed with baseball bats. According to articles on different days in the New York Times
The New York Times
The New York Times is an American daily newspaper founded and continuously published in New York City since 1851. The New York Times has won 106 Pulitzer Prizes, the most of any news organization...
, Button was variously reported to have been passing through the park while jogging on his way to an appointment with a cabinetmaker; when he was attacked . Three persons were subsequently convicted of assault
Assault
In law, assault is a crime causing a victim to fear violence. The term is often confused with battery, which involves physical contact. The specific meaning of assault varies between countries, but can refer to an act that causes another to apprehend immediate and personal violence, or in the more...
for the attacks. Contemporary news accounts and trial testimony indicated that the assailants were intending to target gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
people, but there was no indication that any of the victims were targeted specifically. News accounts stated the attackers targeted persons in the Central Park
Central Park
Central Park is a public park in the center of Manhattan in New York City, United States. The park initially opened in 1857, on of city-owned land. In 1858, Frederick Law Olmsted and Calvert Vaux won a design competition to improve and expand the park with a plan they entitled the Greensward Plan...
Ramble area as that was an area where gay
Gay
Gay is a word that refers to a homosexual person, especially a homosexual male. For homosexual women the specific term is "lesbian"....
persons congregated, but that the victims were attacked at random, and that because of the random nature of the attacks ". . . the police said there was no reason to believe the victims were homosexual."
On December 31, 2000, Button was skating at a public rink in New York State when he fell, fracturing his skull and causing a serious brain injury. He has since recovered, and now is a national spokesman for the Brain Injury Association of America as well as continuing his Award winning commentary for the broadcasts of The Olympic Games, and various figure skating television shows.
Firsts
- First skater to land a double axelAxel jumpThe Axel is a figure skating jump with a forward take-off. It is named after the Norwegian skater Axel Paulsen, who first performed the jump in 1882. An Axel jump has an extra ½ rotation in the air due to its forward take-off...
. - First skater to land a triple jump (a triple loopLoop jumpThe Loop jump is a figure skating jump that takes off from a back outside edge and lands on the same backwards outside edge. For a jump with counterclockwise rotation, this is the right back outside edge. It is named from its similarity to the loop compulsory figure. The invention is widely...
) - First male skater to perform the camel spinCamel spinA camel spin, also known in Europe as a parallel spin, is one of the three basic figure skating spins, along with the sit spin and upright spin...
and inventor of the flying camel spin (also known as the Button Camel, after him) - Only American to win the European titleEuropean Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion...
. - First American World ChampionWorld Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
. - First American to win the Olympic title in figure skating.
- First and only American back-to-back Olympic champion in figure skating.
- First and only male skater to simultaneously hold all the following titles: NationalUnited States Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters...
, North AmericanNorth American Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe North American Figure Skating Championships were a former elite figure skating competition for skaters from the United States and Canada. It was a biennial competition held between 1923 and 1971, with locations alternating between the two countries.Although the event was classified as an...
, EuropeanEuropean Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion...
, WorldsWorld Figure Skating ChampionshipsThe World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion...
, and OlympicsFigure skating at the 1948 Winter OlympicsAt the 1948 Winter Olympics, three figure skating events were contested: men's singles, ladies singles, and pair skating.-Event summary:Barbara Ann Scott became the first Canadian to win the figure skating gold medal while Dick Button became the first American to win a figure skating title for the...
. - Youngest man to win the Olympic title in figure skating (age 18).
Results
| Event | 1944 | 1945 | 1946 | 1947 | 1948 | 1949 | 1950 | 1951 | 1952 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Winter Olympic Games Winter Olympic Games The Winter Olympic Games is a sporting event, which occurs every four years. The first celebration of the Winter Olympics was held in Chamonix, France, in 1924. The original sports were alpine and cross-country skiing, figure skating, ice hockey, Nordic combined, ski jumping and speed skating... |
1st | 1st | |||||||
| World Championships World Figure Skating Championships The World Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition sanctioned by the International Skating Union in which elite figure skaters compete for the title of World Champion... |
2nd | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | |||
| European Championships European Figure Skating Championships The European Figure Skating Championships is an annual figure skating competition in which figure skaters compete for the title of European Champion... |
1st | ||||||||
| North American Championships North American Figure Skating Championships The North American Figure Skating Championships were a former elite figure skating competition for skaters from the United States and Canada. It was a biennial competition held between 1923 and 1971, with locations alternating between the two countries.Although the event was classified as an... |
1st | 1st | 1st | ||||||
| U.S. Championships United States Figure Skating Championships The United States Figure Skating Championships is figure skating competition held annually to crown the national champions of the United States. The competition is sanctioned by U.S. Figure Skating. In the U.S. skating community, the event is often referred to informally as "Nationals".Skaters... |
1st N. | 1st J. | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st | 1st |
- N = Novice level; J = Junior level